Machine for spreading road surfacing material



April 17, 1962 T. B. CRESWELL MACHINE FOR SPREADING ROAD SURFACINGMATERIAL April 17, 1 T. B. CRESWELL MACHINE FOR SPREADING ROAD SURFACINGMATERIAL Filed Dec. 15, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 17, 1962 T. B.CRESWELL MACHINE FOR SPREADING ROAD SURFACING MATERIAL 6 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Dec. 15, 1959 INVENTOR. 71/0/1445 8. (ea-55 5.44

April 17, 1962 T. B. CRESWELL 3,029,714

MACHINE FOR SPREADING ROAD SURFACING MATERIAL Filed Dec. 15, 1959 6Sheets-Sheet 4 April 17: 1962 T. B. CRESWELL MACHINE FOR SPREADING ROADSURFACING MATERIAL 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 15, 1959 54 E-Hg- 8INVENTOI rye/ms s. neesweu ATTOFIVE'VS April 17, 1962 T. B. CRESWELLMACHINE FOR SPREADING ROAD SURFACING MATERIAL Filed Dec. 15, 1959 6Sheets-Sheet 6 CONTROL FIRQM SPREADER SPREAOEE IF? INVEN TOR.

THO/ 445 6'. (@ESWF 4 co/v'reoc FB- Tex! 6702 A 7' 7' 044 4 VS UnitedStates Patent 3,029,714 MACHiNE FOR SPREADING ROAD SURFACING MATERIALThomas B. Cresweli, 9361 Sierra Ave., Fontana, Calif. Filed Dec. 15,1959, Ser. No. 859,760 6 Claims. (Cl. 94-44) This invention relates toroad surfacing machines, and more particularly to a machinefforspreading bituminous paving material, such as blacktop or the like onroad surfaces, or other areas to be paved.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedmachine for spreading surfacing material, said machine being relativelysimple in construction, being easy to operate, and providing accuratecontrol over the material being dispensed therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved machine forspreading surfacing material, particularly suitable for spreadingblacktop or similar paving material on walkways, driveways, parkingareas, and the like, the machine being relatively inexpensive tomanufacture, being durable in construction, and being arranged to beoperated from the hydraulic power system of a conventional tractor orsimilar vehicle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedmaterial-spreading machine for use in paving roadways, parking areas,driveways, or the like, the machine being provided with means to controlthe width of the layer of material dispensed therefrom, as well as tocontrol the thickness of the deposit of material.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedmachine for spreading surfacing material, such as blacktop or similarbituminous material, the niachine :being relatively compact in size,being reliable in operation, being provided with means for smoothing thedeposited material so as to form a finished top surface thereon, andbeing further provided with means for at times lifting the machine sothat it may be readily trans ported by the vehicle to which it isattached.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of an improved machine forspreading surfacing material constructed in accordance with the presentinvention. 7

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view takensubstantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 with the bottom gate membersomitted.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse vertical cross sectional View takensubstantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the machine of FIGURES 1 to 4,said view being taken substantially on the line 5--5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical cross sectional view takensubstantially on the line 66 of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the material spreadingmachine of FIGURES 1 to 6.

,.'- 3,029,714 IC Patented Apr. 17, 1962 the substantially vertical endwalls 15 and 16. The "hopper 12 is provided with a transverselyextending discharge spout 17 located at the bottom edges of the hopperwall, said discharge spout extending vertically and being provided witha pair of laterally movable horizontal gate members 18 and 19. The gatemembers 18 and 19 are generally channel-shaped and are provided withinturned top flange portions 20 which slidably engage on respectivetransversely extending guide ribs 21, 21 provided'on the lower marginalportions of the front and rear walls of the depending vertical spout 17,whereby the gate members 18 and 19 are guided for transverse horizontalmovement beneath the mouth of the discharge spout 17.

Respective fluid pressure cylinders 22 and 23 are pivotally connected torespective pivot lugs 24 and 25 provided on the front and reartransverse vertical walls of the discharge spout 17. The cylinders 22and 23 are provided with outwardly extensible piston rods 26 and 27which are respectively connected to lugs 28 and 29 on the inner endportions of the gate members 15! and 18, whereby the gate members areextended outwardly responsive to the extension of the respective pistonrods 26 and 27 from the fluid pressure cylinders 22 and 23. Thus, bysuitably extending the piston rods 26 and 27, it is possible toaccurately control the transverse size of the discharge opening definedbeneath the depending discharge spout 17. I

The rear wall 14 of the hopper 12 is provided with a pair of upstandinglugs 30, 30 which are spaced symmetrically on opposite sides of thelongitudinal vertical plane of the hopper and which are respectivelypivotally connected to the ends of piston rods 31 extending from fluidpressure cylinders 32 pivotally connected at 33 to upstanding lugs 34provided on the forwardly extending supporting beam elements 35 of aconventional motor grader or similar propelling vehicle. Additionalsymmetrically located upstanding lugs 36, 36 are provided on the topedgeof rear wall 14, said lugs 36 being pivot-ab ly connected torespective piston rod members 37 associated with the pistons containedin respective fluid pressure cylinders 38, 38 which are pivoted to thetransversely extending rear shaft members 39 of respective truckassemblies 40. Each truck assembly 40 comprises a pair of longitudinallyextending side bars 41, 41 which are connected at their rear ends by thetransversely extending shaft elements 39 and which are connected attheir intermediate portions by transversely extending wheel shaftmembers 43 on which are journaled respective pairs of supporting wheels44, 44. The forward ends of the side bars 41 of the respective truckassemblies are pivotally connected to the lower portion of the forwardwall 14 of the hopper 12 at vertically extending frame bars 46 providedon said forward wall 14.

The forward ends of the beam members '35 are slidably connected to thehopper 12 subjacent the lower portion of rear wall 14 at respectivepairs of vertical lug members 47, 47 secured to the lower portion ofwall 14, the beam members 35 being received between the pairs of l-ugmembers 47, 47 and being slidably connected thereto by suitable boltmeans 48 extending through transversely aligned pairs of vertical slots49' formed in the lugs 47, 47.

As will be readily apparent, by extending the piston rods of the fluidpressure cylinders 38, the hopper 12 may be elevated, since this causesthe truck bars 41 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as viewedin FIGURE 6, whereby the mouth of the discharge spout 17 will beelevated from the ground. This provides a means of adjusting thethickness of the layer of material deposited on the ground, since thethickness of said layer will depend upon the height of the mouth of thedischarge spout 17 above ground level.

The beam members 35 are controlled by conventional :means on theassociated vehicle, and maybeat times 1 32, since the hopper may berotated with respect to the beam members 35 by extending or retractingthe piston rod elements of said fluid pressure cylinders 32. Designatedat 51 is a transversely extending .plate-lik .gate member which isdisposed in the lower portion of the hopper 12 and which is adapted tooverlie the dis- ,charge spout 17, said gate member 51 normallysubstantially closing the discharge spout, as illustrated in FIG- URE 6.The gate member 51 is normally inclined, as .illustrated in FIGURE 6 andis provided with a pair of connecting lugs 52, 52 (FIGURE 1) which areconnected by respective link bars 53, 53 to the ends of respective crankarms 54, 54 rigidly secured on crank shaft elements 55, 55 journaled inthe front wall 13 of the hopper. Secured to the outer ends of the crankshaft elements 55 are therespective crank arms 56 and 56' (FIGURE 7),..said arms being connected by a transversely extending link bar 57. Thearm 56 is provided with anextension 58 which is connected to the end ofa pistonrod 59 associated with a fluid pressure cylinder 60 pivotallyconnected at 6l to a pivot bracket 62 secured on wall 13. As shown inFIGURE 7, when the piston rod 59 is in iitsretracted position, the arms54, 54 are lowered, allowing the gate member 51 to assume its closedposition, as illustrated in FIGURE 6. When the piston rod 59 isextended, the arms 56 and 56are rotated in a clockwise :direction,as-viewed in FIGURE 7, causingthe inner .crankarms 54, 54 to beelevated, which raises the gate member 51 to the open position thereof,shown in FIG URE 8, allowing material to pass downwardly from hop- ;.per12 into the discharge spout 17. w As shown in FIGURE 8, the pinconnections 64 of the lug elements 52, 52 to the link bars 53 arerelatively loose, so as to allow substantially free angular movement ofthe gate 51-with respect to the link bars 53, whereby to allow the gatemember 51 to assume a position relatively closely adjacent to the frontwall 13 f the hopper when the gate .inembe'ris in its elevated, openposition, illustrated in FIGURE 8. However, when the gate member 51 isallowed todescend, the lowering of the link bars 53, 53 causes the gatemember to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 8,to a position such as :lower transverse free edge of the plate memberfor movement in a direction downwardly and to the right, as viewed inFIGURE 8, until the gatemember reaches its closed position illustratedin FIGURE 6.

' Designated at 71 and 71' are a pair of axially aligned I screwconveyors mounted transversely in the bottom portion ofthe hopper 12over the discharge spout 17, said screw conveyors being mounted forindependent rotation and being respectively driven by hydraulic motors73,

73' mounted on the rear wall 14 adjacent the opposite 'sides of thehopper. Each motor is drivingly coupled to its associated screw conveyorby suitable transmission means, for example, by a sprocket chain 75coupling a sprocket wheel 76 provided on the motor shaft to a largersprocket wheel 77 provided on the outer end of the screw "conveyorshaft. As above mentioned, the screw conveyors are suitably'journaledfor independent rotation on the same transverse axis in the hopper 12and may be driven either forwardly or reversely, depending upon thedirection of operation of the associated hydraulic motor 73- or 73'." Aswill be apparent from FIGURE 6, the rotation of the screw conveyorscauses the material in the hopper to be agitated and loosened and to bemoved downwardly toward the discharge spout 17. In one direction ofrotation, the screw conveyors will move material from the outside towardthe intermediate portion of the hopper, whereas in the oppositedirection, the material will be moved from the intermediate portiontoward the outer sides of the hopper. Obviously, the mode of operationof the screw conveyors will depend upon the adjustment of thehorizontally movable bottom gate members 18 and 19, since under certainconditions, it may be desirable to move the material toward theintermediate portion of the hopper, for example, Where the gate members18 and 19 are adjusted to provide a relatively limited discharge openinglocated at the intermediate portion of the discharge spout 17.Alternatively, when the gate members 18 and 19 are considerably extendedto provide a large discharge opening, it may be more desirable to rotatethe conveyor members 71 and 71 in directions to distribute the materialoutwardly and downwardly through the discharge spout 17.

Designated at 78 is a hollow,-transversely extending screed member whichis located subjacent the forward wall 13 and which is provided with theconnecting bar members 79 which are pivotally connected at 80 to thelower end portions of vertically extending flange bars 81 secured toforward wall 13. The ends of the bars 79 are connected by chains 82 tothe upper portions of the associated flange bars 31 so as to limitthelowering of the screed member 78 to 'a desired level; Mounted inside thescreed member 78 is atubular heater 83 which may be of any suitabletype, for example, of the type utilizing bottled gas, the burner 83being substantially coextensive in length with the hollow screed 78, andserving to heat the screed member 78 substantially uniformly over itsentire length. As shown in FIGURE 6, the screed mem ber 78 is adapted toengage the deposited paving material, shown at 85 and to smooth saidmaterial as it is moved thereover. 5

Referring to FIGURE 9, the vehicle is provided with a suitable hydraulicpower system which may include a conventional pump and a hydraulicreservoir 91. The elevating beam members 35 are raised and lowered bythe operation of fluid pressure cylinders 92 provided on the tractor andbeing of conventional construction. A reversible valve 93 is provided onthe tractor for controlling the admission of hydraulic fluid underpressure to the elevating cylinders 92, 92. In the position of the valve93 shown in FIGURE 9, hydraulic fluid will enter the cylinders 92 andelevate the beams 35, lifting the machine 11 off theground. To lower themachine, the valve 93 may be adjusted to allow the hydraulic fluid todischarge from the cylinders 92, '92, namely, for example, by rotationof the rotary valve element thereof through an angle of 90 degrees in aclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 9.

The hydraulic fluid under pressure from pump 90 is delivered to a fluidpressure conduit 94 and is connected through respective supply conduits95 to 101 associated respectively with the fluid pressure cylinders 38,32, 23, 22 and 60, and the hydraulic motors 73 and 73. A return conduit1G2 leads to the reservoir 91, and respective return conduit members 103to 109 are connected to the main return conduit 102. Manually operatedtwo-way valves 110 and 111 are interconnected with the supply conduits95, 96, the cylinders 38 and 32, and the return conduits 103 and 104 asillustrated in FIGURE 9. The valves 11% and 111 provide control of theelevating cylinders 38 and 32 so that the cylinders may perform theoperations previously described, namely, may adjust the angular positionand discharge height of the hopper 12.

Respective manually operated reversing valves 112, 113, 114, 115 and 116are provided for the fluid pressure cylinders 23, 22 and 60 and thehydraulic motors 73 and 73, to reversibly admit fluid under pressure tothese members. Thus, with the connections shown in FIGURE FIGURE 1.

9, the valve 112 will allow fluid under pressure to enter the right sideof the cylinder 23, moving the piston element thereof to the left, asviewed in FIGURE 9, causing the horizontal gate member 18 to be movedoutwardly. In the reverse position of the valve 112, the piston elementof cylinder 23 will be moved to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 9,causing the horizontal gate member 18 to be moved toward its closingposition.

The horizontal gate member 19 is controlled in a similar manner by thefluid pressure cylinder 22 and the manually operated control valve 113associated therewith. The same type of control is provided by the valve114 for the fluid pressure cylinder 60 which is associated with the maincutoff gate member '51 provided inside the hopper 12.

Similarly, the hydraulic motors 73 and 73' are reversibly controlled bytheir respective manually operated reversible control valves 116 and115.

The control valves 110 to 116 are constructed as a unitary assembly 120and are mounted on the rear portion of the hopper adjacent one cornerthereof, as shown in A platform 121 is hingedly connected to the frameof the hopper adjacent the control valve unit 120, the platform 121being movable to its outwardly extending horizontal position, as showninFIGURE 3, wherein it is supported by abutment of its corner portion 123against an adjacent portion of the frame of the machine. When not inuse, the platform 121 may be rotated to a vertical position, such asthat shown in dotted view in FIGURE 3, and may be secured in saidposition by a manually rotatable fastening bolt member 124 rotatablymounted on a bracket member 125 provided on the frame of the machine andbeing located so as to overlie the top edge of platform 121 when theplatform is raised to its vertical position. The bolt member 124 may bethreadedly engaged with the edge of theplatform 121 to secure theplatform in its elevated, inoperative position.

7 As shown in FIGURES land 2, the platform 121 is located so that theoperator may stand on the platform and may operate the control valves110 to 116, the operator being in a position to observe the movement ofthe material in the hopper 12, and being thus able to closely regulatethe operation of the machine in accordance with the conditionsprevailing.

While a specific embodiment of an improved machine for spreadingsurfacing material has been disclosed in the foregoing description, itwill be understood that various modifications within the spirit of theinvention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it isintended that no limitations be placed on the invention except asdefined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A surfacing material spreader comprising a wheeled hopper adapted toreceive surfacing material, said hopper having downwardly convergingfront and rear walls, end walls connecting said front and rear walls,and a transverse dischar-ge spout at the bottom edges of said walls, apair of laterally movable horizontal gate members slid a'bly mounted onand underlying said discharge spout, said gate members being engageableat their inner edges to close off said discharge spout and being movableoutwardly to allow material to discharge through said spout between saidinner edges, respective oppositely directed fluid pressure cylindersmounted substantially horizontally on said hopper adjacent saiddischarge spout, said cylinders having respective outwardly projectingpiston rod elements, means connecting said piston rod elements to therespective gate members, whereby to move said gate members responsive tooperation of said fluid pressure cylinders, a plurality of parallelspaced inclined guide bars provided in and extending across saiddischarge spout at a substantial angle to the transverse direction ofthe hopper, a downwardly inclined cutoff gate member movably mounted insaid hopper adjacent said discharge spout with a free transverse edgethereof slidably engaged on .6 said guide bars, said last-named gatemember being movable upwardly along said guide bars to an open positionand being free to pivot as it is moved upwardly, upwardly movable crankarm means pivotally mounted in said hopper, and means loosely andpivotally connecting said crank arm means to said last-named gatemember, whereby said gate member is movable upwardly to said openposition responsive to upward movement of said crank arm means.

2. A surfacing material spreader comprising a wheeled hopper adapted toreceive surfacing material, said hopper "having downwardly convergingfront and rear walls, end walls connecting said front and rear walls,and a transverse discharge spout at the bottom edges of said walls, apair of laterally movable horizontal gate members slidably mounted onand underlying said discharge spout, said gate members being engageableat their inner edges to close off said discharge spout and being movableoutwardly to allow material to discharge through said spout between saidinner edges, respective oppositely directed fluid pressure cylindersmounted substantially horizontally on said hopper adjacent saiddischarge spout, said cylinders having respective outwardly projectingpiston rod elements, means connecting said piston rod elements to therespective gate members, whereby to move said gate members responsive tooperation of said fluid pressure cylinders, a plurality of parallelspaced inclined guide bars provided in and extending across said discharge spout at a substantial angle to the transverse direction of thehopper, a downwardly inclined cutoff gate member mova'bly mounted insaid hopper adjacent said discharge spout with a free transverse edgethereof slidably engaged on said guide bars, said last-named gate memberbeing movable upwardly along said guide bars to an open position andbeing free to pivot as it is moved upwardly, a further fluid pressurecylinder transversely mounted on said front wall and having an outwardlyeittending piston rod element, crank means pivotally mounted on saidhopper, means drivingly connecting said last-named piston rod element tosaid crank means, and means loosely and pivotally connecting said crankmeans to said last-named gate member and including means to move saidlast-named gate member upwardly responsive to the operation of saidlast-named fluid pressure cylinder.

3. A surfacing material spreader comprising a wheeled hopper adapted toreceive surfacing material, said hopper having downwardly convergingfront and rear walls, end walls connecting said front and rear walls,and a transverse discharge spout at the bottom edges of said walls, apair of laterally movable horizontal gate members slidably mounted onand underlying said discharge spout, said gate members being engageableat their inner edges to close off said discharge spout and being movableoutwardly to allow material to discharge through spout between saidinner edges, respective oppositely directed fluid pressure cylindersmounted substantially horizontally on said hopper adjacent saiddischarge spout, said cylinders having respective outwardly projectingpiston rod elements, means connecting said piston rod elements to therespective gate members, whereby to move said gate mcmbers responsive tooperation of said fluid pressure cylinders, a plurality of parallelspaced inclined guide bars provided in and extending across saiddischarge spout at a substantial angle to the transverse direction ofthe hopper, a downwardly inclined cutoff gate member movably mounted insaid hopper adjacent said discharge spout with a free transverse edgethereof slidably engaged on said guide bars, said last-named gate memberbeing movable upwardly along said guide bars to an open position andbeing free to pivot as it is moved upwardly, a further fluid pressurecylinder transversely mounted on said front wall and having an outwardlyextending piston rod element, crank means pivotally mounted on saidhopper, means drivingly connecting said last-named pist on rod elementto said crank means, and means loosely and pivotally. connecting saidcrank means to said lastnamed gate member and including means to movesaid last-named gate member upwardly responsive to the operation of saidlast-named fluid pressure cylinder, a pair .of axially aligned screwconveyors mounted transversely means connected between the topportion ofthe hopper and the rear ends of said side bar members and includingmeans to at times vary the height of said hopper relative to saidsupporting wheels, said hopper having downwardly converging front andrear walls, end walls connecting said front and rear walls, and atransverse dis- .pharge spout at the bottom edges of said walls, a pair.of laterally movable horizontal gate members slidably mounted on andunderlying said discharge spout, said gate members being engageable attheir inner edges to close said discharge spout and being movableoutwardly to allow material to discharge through said spout between,,said inner edge-s, respective oppositely directed fluid pres surecylinders mounted substantially horizontally on said hopper adjacentsaid discharge spout, said cylinders hav- .ing respective outwardlyprojecting piston rod elements, I means connecting said piston rodelements to the re- .spective gate members, whereby to move said gatemembers responsive to operation of said fluid pressure cylinders, aplurality of parallel spaced inclined guide bars provided in andextending across said discharge spout at a substantial angle to thetransverse direction of the hopper, a downwardly inclined cutoff gatemember'movably mounted in said hopper adjacent said discharge spout,with a free transverse edge thereof slidably engaged on said guidebar-s, said last-named gate member being movable upwardly along saidguide bars to an open position and being free to pivot as it is movedupwardly, a further fluid pressure cylinder transversely mounted on saidfront wall and having an outwardly inclined piston rod element, crankmeans pivotally mounted on said hop- ..per, means drivingly connectingsaid last-named piston rod element to said crank means, and meansloosely and pivotally connecting said crank means to said last-namedgate member and including means to move said lastnamed gate memberupwardly responsive to the opera tion of said last-named fluid pressurecylinder.

5. A surfacing material spreader comprising a pair of Wheeled truckmembers, each truck member comprising a pair of parallel side barmembers and a supporting wheel journaled between the intermediateportions of said pair of side bar members, a hopper pivoted to theforward ends of said side bar members, said hopper being adapted toreceive surfacing material, fluid-pressure operated means connectedbetween the top portion of the hopper and the rear ends of said side barmembers and including means to at times vary the height of the hopperrelative to said supporting wheels, said hopper having downwardlyconverging front and rear walls, end walls connecting said front andrear walls, and a transverse discharge spout at the bottom edges of saidwalls, a pair of laterally movable horizontal gate members slidhoppertoward said dischargev spout.

.ably mounted on and underlying said discharge spout, said gate membcrsbeing engageable at their inner; edges .spout at'a substantial angle tothe transverse direction of the hopper, a downwardly inclined cutoffgate member movably mounted in said hopper adjacent said discharge spoutwith a free transverse edge thereof slidably engaged on said guidebars,said last-named gate member being movable upwardly along said guide'bars to an open position and being free to pivot as it is movedupwardly, a further fluid pressure cylinder transversely mounted on saidfront wall and having an outwardly extending piston rod element, crankmeans pivotally mounted on said hopper, means drivingly connecting saidlast-named piston rod element to said crank means, means loosely andpivotally connecting said crank means to said last-named gate member andincluding means to move said last-named gate member upwardly responsiveto the operation of said last-named fluid pressure cylinder,

a pair of axially aligned screw conveyors mounted transversely in thebottom portion of the hopper over said discharge spout, and means tosimultaneously rotate said .screw, conveyors indirectionsto movematerial in the 6, A surfacing material spreader comprising awheeledhopper adapted to receive surface material, said hopper havingdownwardly converging front and rear walls, end walls connecting saidfront and rear wa1ls, and a transverse discharge spout at the bottomedges of said walls, laterally movable horizontal gate means slidablymounted on and underlying said discharge spout, said gate means beingmovable outwardly to allow material to discharge through said spout,means to move said gate means outwardly, a plurality of parallel spacedinclined guide bars provided in and extending across said dischargespout, a downwardly inclined cutoff gate member movably mounted in saidhopper adjacent said discharge spout with a free transverse edge thereofslidably engaged on said guide bars, said last-named gate member beingmovable upwardly along said guide bars' to an open position and beingfree to pivot as it is moved upwardly, upwardly movable crank arm meanspivotally mounted in .said hopper, and means loosely and pivotallyconnecting said crank arm means to said last-named gate member, wherebysaid gate member is movable upwardly to said open position responsive toupward movement of said crank arm means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

